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Economic-development bill would lift state's cap on liquor licenses

The Lowell Sun

Updated:
06/28/2014 06:32:55 AM EDT

By Matt Murphy

State House News Service

BOSTON -- Local officials would regain full control of liquor licensing under an economic-development bill that Senate leaders released Friday that would also make investments in workforce training, the redevelopment of polluted sites and marketing efforts designed to lure business and travelers to Massachusetts.

The bill includes many of the investments adopted earlier by the House, but it also includes provisions to lift the state cap on liquor licenses and to pilot a program proposed by Gov. Deval Patrick that would allow international graduates who are unable to obtain a traditional visa to remain in Massachusetts as "entrepreneurs in residence."

The bill also includes about $63 million in initiatives, including $10 million for the redevelopment of brownfields and $10 million for a new grant fund to support development and the creation of collaborative workspaces in so-called "Gateway Cities" outside of Boston.

"It's important. We just had a drop in our unemployment rate. That's a good sign. We're creating more and more jobs," said Senate President Therese Murray, noting the drop to 5.6 percent unemployment in May.

Murray this week visited San Diego where she attended the 2014 International BIO conference, bringing together life-science companies from around the world. At least two companies announced plans to relocate operations and headquarters to Massachusetts.

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"The buzz in San Diego was that everything is happening in Massachusetts. But you have to stay a step ahead," Murray said.

Mayors and other municipals leaders, who see new restaurants and bars as an integral piece to neighborhood redevelopment, applauded the idea when it was proposed by the governor of returning full liquor-licensing control to the municipal level. The local officials said it was a way to cut through the red tape, but the House left it out of the economic-development bill passed two weeks ago.

Murray said she thinks it makes sense to let local boards decide how many liquor licenses can be awarded in their communities, rather that require them to seek legislative approval if they are at the limit.

"I just think it's ridiculous. Do you see how many times I have to add a liquor license? They have to come through the legislative process? House, Senate, hearings. It's ridiculous," Murray said. "They know how many they can handle and where to put them."

While the Senate leadership's jobs bill adopted the governor's liquor license proposal, Murray said there was "really no agreement" on Patrick's plan to ban non-compete agreements, which he argued to be an impediment to entrepreneurs spreading their talents to other start-up companies. The Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies plans a hearing on the issue next Tuesday, but it has been left out of the jobs bill for now.

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